Work

Emergence and Rising Prevalence of Artemisinin Partial Resistance Marker Kelch13 P441L in a Low Malaria Transmission Setting in Southern Zambia

Year: 2025

Type: article

Study design: Observational Study

Abstract: Increasing artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) due to mutations in the gene encoding Kelch13 (Pfk13) protein in eastern Africa is of urgent concern, and mutations, such as Pfk13 P441L, continue to emerge. We used an amplicon deep-sequencing panel to estimate the prevalence of validated and candidate ART-R Pfk13 mutations in samples collected between 2018 and 2023 in southern Zambia. Pfk13 P441L was present in 30 of 501 samples (6%), and prevalence increased over time (0% to 7.2%). Further studies of the P441L mutation are needed to document its geographical origin, distribution, and impact on treatment outcomes.

Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases

DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf188

Authors: Anne C Martin, Jacob M Sadler, Alfred Simkin, Michael Musonda, Ben Katowa, Japhet Matoba, Jessica Schue, Edgar Simulundu, Jeffrey A Bailey, William J Moss, Jonathan J Juliano, Abebe A Fola

Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brown University

Language: English

Topic: Malaria Research and Control

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg Philanthropies, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fogarty International Center, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Awards: Tracking the flow of malaria parasites and drug resistance within the DRC and across its borders, G2107988775, G3937869356, G4591201827, G7315253074, G9000086330, G9000142242, G9000234227, G9000293990

OpenAlex ID: W4409519566

FWCI: 16.45

Cites: 19

Cited by: 20

Related to: 10